Hi all, I have a brand new never installed Taylor 3-500zg that came with a new amplifier I bought 6 mos. ago. My situation has changed and I will probably not be able to set up the amp for another 18 months.

I have read on here that 3-500's do not store well on the shelf for extended periods. While I am keeping the amp, Is it better to sell the tube now and buy a new one 18 mos from now when I am going to use the amp, or will the tube be ok having been stored for a total of 2 years?

Tuff question. Quality of tube is a factor. Being tube is unused and untested and will be out of warranty then, I would sell it and get a new one when you need it. Actually I would sell amp too for warranty reasons.

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Thanks. I'm not a "well-to do" ham so I need to hang on to things that take large initial outlays of cash. I'm lucky if I have $100 a month fun money to spend. I'll take my chances on having to repair a brand new never opened in the box $1300 amp that has been stored for 2 years. A tube is much easier for me to come by... hi hi. RF Parts has new Taylor 3-500's for around $180.

0DD: I'm with you on this one. JX does have a valid point about selling the tube but I've found that selling items brings in less money that the item is worth and then that money is frittered away on things "you just have to have!"

I would store the amp for as long as necessary and when I did get around to using it go to W8JI.com and read his instructions on "gettering" a tube. After this, if the tube still blows, save your bucks until you can afford to buy another one. That's easier than saving your bucks to buy another amp.

Way back when I was a young man I wanted to sell a rifle. When I asked the advice of an old man who was a hunting buddy, he asked me, "Does it eat anything?" When I replied "No, of course not," he then asked, "Why in the hell do you want to sell it then? You don't have to feed it every day!"

BTW, if I had a hundred bucks a month "fun money" to spend I would be in hog heaven!

I have a 20+ year old AL-80A that has sat idle for long periods of time. The original Eimac tube that came with it still puts out to spec. I have a backup RF Parts that I rotate with the Eimac on an annual basis. The last time I rotated I realized I must have skipped one year meaning that the RF parts tube was shelved for two years. No issues. RF Parts tube still performs like new and it is 5 years old now.

I also rotate my tube in my AL-80B. The original Eimac and my spare Taylor have never had an issue. I did go several years without rotating and when I put the new Taylor (the spare I had on the shelf for several years), it worked without issue.

I will keep the tube and amplifier ... try and store both in an environment where there will no undue bumps or mishandling and all is likely to be fine ... I am a hoarder of RF tubes like the 4-400's and 4-500's many dating from the 1980's which I use in my many amplifier projects and construction and I have put my collection into storage quite a few times mostly up to five years due to work commitments around the world ... I still have to loose a tube or amplifier due to this storage.

I do take care when I initiate a new tube. My way is increasing filament voltage over a period of 24 hours and then up to full anode voltage over another period of 24 hours. Make sure the tube is cooled at all times. I then use the W8JI method to apply RF.

The amplifiers of today now use capacitors that is very reliable in its manufacturing and storage is unlikely to have the problems of vintage equipment like drying out of capacitors etc.

Hi all, I have a brand new never installed Taylor 3-500zg that came with a new amplifier I bought 6 mos. ago. My situation has changed and I will probably not be able to set up the amp for another 18 months.

Send me the amp and the tube and I'll keep them in use for you. Let me know when you need them back.

The problem is that anode/plate is totally supported by anode cap in envelope. When stored off a normal upright axis gravity is no longer your friend in keeping it aligned. I have seen the anode knocked out of alignment when shocked/bumped hard off axis. While it is not real fragile it is not too hard to knock it out of alignment when 'knocked' about. When stored upright it is the most resistant to impact/drop damage and least resistant on its side.

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